Farmers Branch staff say water‑wise yards must still meet 8‑inch grass rule; residents urged to contact code officers

Community services manager Barry Boyd told the Farmers Branch Sustainability Committee that the city’s existing property‑maintenance and zoning ordinances treat any vegetation taller than 8 inches as a violation, even if a homeowner intends the planting as water‑wise or xeriscape landscaping.

The clarification matters because several residents and committee members said they want to reduce lawn watering but fear receiving code notices. Boyd said the city has “no restrictions based on the description or the definition of what is water wise landscaping or sustainable landscape,” and that inspectors currently enforce a simple measurement standard: grass or weeds taller than 8 inches are a violation unless a resident opens a line of communication with code staff explaining the intent.

That exchange is the main safeguard Boyd described: “All we’re looking for if we you should ever get any type of notice from us is to open a line of communication. Talk to us,” he said. Boyd told the committee that if a resident notifies staff that a tall planting is a deliberate water‑wise effort, inspectors will record that contact and “we would no violation for that.”

Committee members and residents raised several operational questions during the presentation and Q&A. A resident said receiving code letters can be “annoying and upsetting,” and asked whether the city could use a registry or other advance notice so people actively converting yards would not repeatedly get violation notices. Boyd said he will take that suggestion back to staff and try to develop an internal tracking approach; he also said he is training a recently changed group of code officers so they can better recognize intentional water‑wise plantings.

On operational details Boyd said door hanger notices are being phased down because residents found them offensive and that current notices are form letters that cite the ordinance section and give inspector contact information. He advised that rain‑harvesting equipment such as barrels is allowed if it is in use; if it is stored in the front yard after use it must be screened from public view. Boyd also said property owners remain responsible for keeping plantings from extending into public space or adjacent properties.

The committee and residents asked whether the city has formal online guidance or examples for sustainable landscaping. Boyd said the municipal code is vague and that the city does not currently maintain a clear local definition of xeriscape on the code pages; he pointed the group to some outside resources on the city water‑conservation pages and said staff would consider producing clearer materials for residents.

Discussion vs. decision: the meeting contained explanations and staff promises to pursue internal tracking and softer notice language, but there was no change to ordinances at the meeting. Boyd repeatedly emphasized the current enforcement threshold and the practical steps residents should take to avoid enforcement action: contact the inspector, explain that the planting is a deliberate water‑wise effort, and, when appropriate, screen or contain rain‑barrels and other equipment from public view.

For more information, Boyd said his contact information is on the handout provided to committee members and that residents can call or email code enforcement for clarification; he also noted the ordinances most relevant are Chapter 56 (property maintenance) and Chapter 94 (zoning).